Eat-In-One-Sitting Apple Strudel
Blender Brownies with Avocado Frosting
Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Life-Changing Frozen Chocolate
One-Ingredient Nice Cream (4 Ways)
No-Bake Lime Blueberry Cheesecake
LEMON-GLAZED CINNAMON ROLLS
For these cinnamon rolls, we are using a slightly adapted, sweet version of our Multi-Purpose Bread dough (see on pg. 110). These cinnamon rolls are topped with a delicious lemon glaze, which makes them the perfect Sunday treat.
Makes: 12 rolls | Time: 1½ hours + 2 hours rising time
Ingredients for the Yeast Dough
4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegan white sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1¼ cups (300 ml) lukewarm rice milk
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil, divided
Ingredients for the Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkling
¼ cup (50 g) vegan white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Ingredients for the Lemon Glaze
½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon rice milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
1. For the yeast dough, add the flour and white sugar in a large mixing bowl, and combine. Make a well in the middle, and add in the dry yeast and ¼ cup of the milk. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. You can be sure it’s working if the yeast gets bubbly.
2. Add in the salt, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and the remaining rice milk. Combine with a large spoon. Then, use your hands to form a soft dough.
3. Let the dough sit covered under a clean kitchen towel in a warm spot for 1½ to 2 hours until it doubles in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
5. Transfer the dough to a baking tray covered with floured parchment paper and roll it out to a rectangle.
6. For the cinnamon sugar sprinkling, combine ¼ cup of white sugar and cinnamon.
7. Brush the dough with about ⅔ of the remaining liquid coconut oil and sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top.
8. Carefully roll the dough in and cut it into 12 slices.
9. Lightly coat a 7 x 10-inch baking pan with oil, put in the cinnamon rolls, and brush the tops with the rest of the liquid coconut oil. Bake them in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until golden on top.
10. For the lemon glaze, put the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Drizzle the lemon glaze on top of the cinnamon rolls before serving.
Sascha’s Landmine Situation
Visiting Relatives
Oftentimes, visiting relatives is all about food, the lunches, dinners, birthday cakes, among others. Grandmas are the best cooks, because they use a lot of fat, and fatty foods are delicious. Most vegans eventually learn that grandmas use butter for everything. Chances are that she will try to veganize your favorite birthday cake only to casually mention the single egg she used to make it work.
There are solutions to this: Older relatives often tend to take a lot of pride in doing everything by themselves, but you can insist on bringing some food yourself. Another solution would be to offer to help in the kitchen. The best way to make veganism less weird is to show people that it’s really not. We’ve heard more than one story of grandmas saying something among the lines of “this is how our mother used to do it when we were children.” Many people don’t realize that vegan food wasn’t that uncommon in generations past, it’s just that nobody called it that.
APPLE PIE MUFFINS
Homemade apple pie can be quite a piece of work. However, these amazing apple pie muffins can be made quickly and easily. As a plus, this fistful of baked heaven will give you that warm, delicious taste of an apple pie.
Makes: 9 muffins | Time: 30 min
Ingredients
1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50 g) vegan white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil e.g. coconut oil
⅔ cup (160 ml) unsweetened plant-based milk e.g. rice milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 sweet apple, peeled, core removed, cubed
Powdered sugar for dusting the top
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 360°F/180°C.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except the apple and powdered sugar for the muffins, whisk, then add all the wet ingredients and whisk again until it’s a smooth batter. Add in ¾ of the apple cubes.
3. Add the batter to muffin wrappers or a lightly oiled muffin pan, and sprinkle the rest of the apple cubes on top of each muffin. Put the tray in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. See Bianca’s Kitchen Hack below to make sure the muffins are baked all the way through.
4. Dust with powdered sugar before serving!
Bianca’s Kitchen Hack
How to Test Baked Goods for Doneness
The easiest way to test your muffins, cakes, and other baked goods if they are baked all the way through is by sticking a thin wooden stick or toothpick in. If it comes out pretty much clean, maybe with a few crumbs here or there, it’s done. If the stick comes out wet with batter on it, it’s not done yet.
Chocolate-Covered Almond Cake
This is a simple recipe for a chocolate-covered almond cake. This no-nonsense cake can be devoured as is or used as a base. Also, you can simply whisk the ingredients for the cake in one bowl, which means minimal cleanup!
Makes: 1 cake | Time: 40 min
Ingredients for Almond Cake
1⅓ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (80 g) vegan white sugar
½ cup (50 g) almond meal
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coconut oil, liquid
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup (240 ml) plant-based milk such as rice milk
Ingredients for Chocolate Coating
¾ cup (100 g) baking chocolate or chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C.
2. Place all the dry ingredients for the almond cake in a mixing bowl and combine. Add in the wet ingredients and whisk until a smooth batter is formed.
3. Lightly oil an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and pour in the cake batter. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick (see Bianca’s Kitchen Hack on pg. 165) to make sure the cake is baked all the way through.
4. Let the cake cool down for 2 to 3 hours.
5. For the chocolate coating, heat the chocolate together with the coconut oil in a double boiler or microwave, and combine. Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled cake and spread it around the cake so it’s covered evenly. Place it in the fridge for about 5 to 10 minutes until the chocolate has set.
CARAMEL CUPS
These vegan caramel cups are everything you’ve ever wanted—you haven’t realized it yet. With roasted peanuts and our super simple ooey-gooey caramel sauce covered in chocolate, the addiction potential for these is alarmingly high.
Makes: 6 cups | Time: 30 min
Ingredients
1¼ cups (190 g) vegan baking chocolate or chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil
¼ cup (40 g) raw or roasted peanuts*
1 pinch of salt
1 portion caramel sauce (see on pg. 25)
Instructions
1. Place 6 muffin liners in a muffin pan or use silicone muffin liners.
2. In a double boiler or microwave, melt the baking chocolate/chocolate chips and coconut oil, and stir well.
3. Use about half the chocolate for this step. Fill about 1½ teaspoons of melted chocolate in each cup, and tilt the muffin pan or silicone liners so the chocolate spreads to all sides. Place the muffin pan in the fridge for a few minutes (until the chocolate hardens).
4. Roast the peanuts with a pinch of salt in a small pan on medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes while stirring occasionally. Chop the peanuts into smaller pieces.
5. Once the first chocolate layer has set, divide the caramel sauce into the muffin liners (place it in the middle), and sprinkle the peanuts on top.
6. Top the cups with the rest of the melted chocolate. Tilt the pan/liners a bit so the tops of the cups are completely covered with the chocolate. Let the cups harden in the fridge for about 5 minutes.
7. Once the chocolate is hardened, carefully remove the cups from the cupcake liners and enjoy!
9. Store the Caramel cups in the fridge until they are all gone (which shouldn’t take that long).
*If using already roasted peanuts, skip step 3.
EAT-IN-ONE-SITTING APPLE STRUDEL
Apple strudel is a typical Austrian dessert made with puff pastry, apples, and cinnamon. As a kid, Bianca used to eat a whole strudel by herself; now she has to share with Sascha. So sad. Add raisins or sliced nuts for variations.
Makes: 1 strudel | Time: 20 min
Ingredients
1 package 9 x 16-inch vegan puff pastry dough
2 apples, the sweet kind e.g. Pink Lady, peeled, core and seeds removed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Powdered sugar for dusting the top
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and take the vegan pastry dough out of the fridge to thaw.
2. Slice the apples with a mandoline slicer or cut by hand into very thin slices.
3. Put sliced apple into a bowl and add in the cinnamon. Mix well, and don’t worry about broken apple slices.
4. Put the thawed dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put the apple-cinnamon mixture on the top half of the pastry dough and fold it in. Press the edges together.
5. Bake the apple strudel in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Dust the strudel with powdered sugar before serving. You can eat it warm or cold—it’s delicious either way.
BERRY SWIRL POPS
These berry swirl yogurt pops are the perfect refreshment for those long, hot summer days. Not only are these pops super easy to make with only three ingredients, but they also look super pretty with the swirled mixed berries!
Makes: 8 pops | Time: 10 min + at least 4 hours freezing time
Ingredients
1 cup (130 g) frozen berry mix
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 cups (500 g) plant-based yogurt e.g. soy yogurt*
Instructions
1. Heat the frozen berry mix together with the maple syrup in a small pot on low to medium heat for a couple of minutes until it thickens.
2. Then, spoon a drop of soy yogurt into each of the 8 ice pop molds, followed by the berry mixture (use about half of it in this step), then add a drop of yogurt again, followed by the rest of the berry mixture. Use a skewer to give the mixture a light swirl. Then, top each ice pop mold with another drop of soy yogurt.
3. Insert the stick and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
*If you’re using unsweetened soy yogurt, stir in another teaspoon of maple syrup to sweeten it.
BLENDER BROWNIES WITH CHOCOLATE AVOCADO FROSTING
You’ve read that right—the batter for these brownies can be made in a blender! Not only does this mean minimal cleanup, but it’s also quick and easy to make. We’ve topped these brownies with a decadent avocado frosting and cocoa nibs. They taste so rich, you would never guess they are vegan!
Makes: 6 servings | Time: 50 min + 3 hours cooling time
Ingredients for Brownies
1 cup (140 g) oat flour
½ cup (60 g) almond meal
7 soft dates, pitted
1 pinch of salt
3 ripe bananas, peeled
¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder
1 tablespoon plant-based milk e.g. rice milk
Ingredients for Chocolate Avocado Frosting
3 avocados, peeled, pitted
1 ripe banana, peeled
2 tablespoons plant-based milk e.g. rice milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Additional Ingredient
1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 320°F/160°C and line a 7 x 10-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Add the oat flour and almond meal to your blender. Pulse until fine. Then, add the dates, salt, bananas, cocoa powder, and plant-based milk and blend until smooth and creamy. You might have to scrape down the sides a couple of times.
3. Transfer the batter to the baking pan and flatten the surface.
4. Bake for about 25 minutes and let it cool off completely for 2 to 3 hours.
5. For the chocolate avocado frosting, add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. You might also have to scrape down the sides a few times.
6. Once the brownies are completely cool, pour the chocolate avocado chocolate frosting on top and add the cocoa nibs. Cut into brownies. You can eat the them immediately, but it’s better if you let them sit in the fridge for about 3 hours to let the frosting thicken a bit.
7. The brownies can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
OUR FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
These easy chocolate chip cookies are crisp on the outside, but soft and flakey on the inside. They are made with simple ingredients, which you probably have at home already. Don’t worry, you won’t need any kind of egg substitute. You know what goes really well with these? Our homemade almond milk (see on pg. 22).
Makes: 4 large cookies | Time: 20 min
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil, solid
2 tablespoons vegan white sugar
⅔ cup (80 g) all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
4 teaspoons plant-based milk e.g. rice milk
1 tablespoon chocolate chips + a few more to add on top
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Add the coconut oil and white sugar in a mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix again until mixture is crumbly. Then, add in the plant-based milk and mix until combined. Add in 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips and give another quick mix until the chips are all incorporated into the cookie batter.
3. Using an ice cream scoop, put four balls of cookie dough onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Press them flat a bit, and add the a few more chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
4. Bake the cookies for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden. It’s going to be a tough wait, but it’s best to let them cool down a bit before eating.
FANCY APPLE ROSES
These fancy-looking apple roses are the perfect dessert to impress your family and friends. They are way easier to make than they look: You’ll only need puff pastry, cinnamon, sugar, and an apple. Bake them in a muffin pan, so that they keep their shape.
Makes: 6 apple roses | Time: 45 min
Ingredients
1 sweet apple e.g. Pink Lady
1 (9 x 16-inch) package vegan puff pastry, thawed
1 teaspoon vegan white sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Slice the apple with a mandoline slicer into very thin slices.
3. Roll out the puff pastry and sprinkle the white sugar and cinnamon evenly on the pastry dough.
4. Cut the dough horizontally into 6 equal strips.
5. Place the apple slices on the pastry dough strips so that they overlap one another. The skin side of the apples should stick a little out of the strip. Carefully roll the strips in.
6. Smooth down the bottom and press it together a bit.
7. Place the apple roses in a lightly oiled muffin pan and put the pan in the oven on the lowest rack for about 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Let them cool off completely before carefully twisting them out of the pan.
9. Dust the apple roses with powdered sugar before serving.
LIFE-CHANGING FROZEN CHOCOLATE
Did you know that you can make your own, healthier version of chocolate? You just need three ingredients, which you probably have at home already, for this frozen chocolate. This is a very basic chocolate recipe, so feel free to add nuts, raisins, cocoa nibs, or whatever you prefer.
Makes: 10 chocolate pieces | Time: 5 min
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
1. Heat the coconut oil in a small pot until liquefied. Then, take the pot off the stove and add in the maple syrup. Whisk it together.
2. Add in the cocoa powder and whisk again until everything comes together and the mixture is nice and smooth.
3. Fill the chocolate in molds and put in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight. Make sure to store them in the freezer—they melt pretty quickly!
ONE-INGREDIENT NICE CREAM
4 WAYS
1: Basic; 2: Peanut Butter; 3: Strawberry; 4: Chocolate
BASIC NICE CREAM
You can make the best, healthiest, and most minimalistic ice cream with only one base ingredient: bananas. And while we love the most basic version with bananas only, we’d like to show you three different variations that we love!
Makes: 1 serving | Time: 5 min
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
Instructions
1. Peel the banana, break it in chunks, and put it in a zip lock or freezer-friendly container. Freeze overnight.
2. Place the frozen banana chunks in a food processor and pulse until a creamy banana ice cream is formed. Don’t give up on the ice cream too soon; it might look like it’s not working, but if you give it a bit of time, you’ll eventually get there! You might have to scrape down the sides a few times. That’s it!
3. Garnish with our caramel sauce (see on pg. 25), chopped, roasted peanuts, cocoa nibs, or freeze-dried strawberries.
PEANUT BUTTER NICE CREAM
Ingredients
2 bananas, peeled, frozen, cut in chunks
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Instructions
1. Add frozen banana chunks and peanut butter to a food processor and pulse until creamy.
STRAWBERRY NICE CREAM
Ingredients
1 banana, peeled, frozen, cut in chunks
½ cup (65 g) strawberries, frozen
Instructions
1. Add frozen banana chunks and frozen strawberries to a food processor and pulse until creamy.
CHOCOLATE NICE CREAM
Ingredients
2 bananas, peeled, frozen, cut in chunks
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons plant-based milk e.g. homemade almond milk (see on pg. 22)
Instructions
1. Add frozen banana chunks, cocoa powder, and plant-based milk to a food processor and pulse until creamy.
NO-BAKE LIME BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE
This frozen, no-bake lime blueberry cheesecake is the perfect goodie for hot summer days. Instead of blueberries, you can use any fruit your heart desires, or use a swirl of our caramel sauce (see on pg. 25).
Makes: 4 mini cheesecakes | Time: 15 min + 5 hours waiting time
Ingredients for the Crust
½ cup (75 g) blanched almonds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ tablespoon coconut oil, liquid
Ingredients for the Filling
½ cup (300 g) silken tofu
½ tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut oil
¼ cup (50 g) vegan white sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plant-based milk e.g. almond milk
1 cup (100 g) fresh blueberries
Instructions
1. For the crust, place the blanched almonds in a food processor and process for about 40 seconds. Add the maple syrup and coconut oil and process again until the mixture sticks together when you press it together with your fingers.
2. For the filling, place all the ingredients except the blueberries in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
3. Lightly oil four 6-ounce freezer-friendly ramekins and line each with two parchment paper strips. This will help remove the cheesecake from the containers later.
4. Divide the crust mixture into the containers and press it flat with a spoon or your fingers. Add the cheesecake filling, top with blueberries, and put in the freezer for about 5 hours. Then, remove the cheesecake from the ramekins. We recommend giving them a quick thaw before eating.
